The annual George Trundle Masters tournament in Auckland in October was was won by Australian IM Gary Lane with 7/9, who then went on to win the South Island Championship in Dunedin. But the tournament was also a success for FM Ben Hague, whose second place on 6½ earned his first norm for the International Master title.
Hague was playing in the tournament under the English Chess Federation, having moved to New Zealand only two years ago. Since then he has transferred to the New Zealand Chess Federation, becoming eligible to represent his new country internationally.
Today's game is from the second round of the Trundle Masters. Hague, playing with the white pieces, puts Singaporean IM Peng Kong Chan under persistent pressure culminating in a spectacular mating attack.
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.e3 b6 4.Bd3 Bb7 5.O-O Be7 6.c4 O-O 7.Nc3 d5 8.b3 Nbd7 9.Bb2 c5 10.cxd5 exd5 11.Qe2 Ne4
The opening is the relatively quiet Yusupov-Rubinstein system. Black's last move aims to exchange a pair of knights to gain some maneouvring space, but 11... a6 establishing control over the queenside light squares has something to recommend it.. 12.Rfd1 Nxc3 13.Bxc3 Bf6 14.Rac1 Rc8 15.dxc5! Bxc3 16.Rxc3 Rxc5
The hanging pawns would immediately come under attack after 16...bxc5?! 17 Qc2 g6 18 Bb5!, so Black is saddled with an isolated d-pawn. 17.Rxc5 Nxc5 18.Bb1 Qf6 19.Nd4 ---
Occupying the blockading square with the ideal piece. 19.--- g6 20.Qg4! ---
The pin on g6 renews the uncomfortable threat of Nf5. 20.--- Re8 21.h3 Kf8
To relieve the pin. 22.Qg3 Qe5 23.Qh4 Kg7 24.Nf3 Qf6 25.Qg3 Ne4 26.Qc7 Qe7?!
After some probing by White, Black starts to give ground. He should eject the queen immediately by 26... Re7! After 27 Qd8 Black can maintain the balance by 27... Nc3 28 Re1 d4! activating his bishop. Neither capture leads to advantage for White: 29 Qxd4?! Bxf3 30 Qxf6+ Kxf6 31 gxf3 Rd7! 32 Kg2 Rd2 regaining his pawn with advantage, or 29 Nxd4 Qg5! and the mate threats equalise for Black: 30 g3 (or 30 e4 Nxb1 31 Rxb1 Bxe4 32 Ne6+ fxe6 33 Qd4+ e5 34 Qxe4 Qf5 =) 30.... Rxe3!! 31 Nf5+! Qxf5! 32 Qd4+ Kg8 33 Qd8+ with a draw by perpetual check. 27.Rc1 Nc5 28.Qg3 Qf6 29.Nd4 Kf8?!
The threat of 30 Nf5+ was lessdangerous than the penetration down the c-file that follows. 29... a5 or 29...Rc8 were better. 30.b4! Ne4 31.Bxe4 dxe4 32.Rc7 Bd5
The ending after 32... Re7 33 Rxe7 Qxe7 34 Qb8+ Kg7 35 Qxa7 followed by a2-a4-a5 etc is hopeless for Black. 33.a4 Re7 34.Rc8+!? ---
While 34 Rxa7 Rxa7 35 Qb8+ Kg7 36 Qxa7 should win as in the previous note, White decides to go after the black king. 34.--- Kg7 35.Qb8 Rd7 36.Rg8+ Kh6 37.Qf8+ Kg5 38.Rh8 Qe7
Or 38...h5? 39 Qh6+ Kh4 40 Kh2! Qxf2 41 Nf5+! mating next move. 39.h4+! Kg4 40.Qh6 Qe5!
Black is putting up the strongest resistance – his queen controls all the key squares from this outpost. Here White was concerned about 41 Rxh7 Rc7 with counterthreats, so moves to cover the c-file. 41.Rc8 f6 42.Ne2 Bc4?
The fatal mistake. Black is still alive after 42...Bb7 though his position is extremely hard to play. Both sides missed that 43 f3+! followed by taking the bishop wins immediately for White, but the extra tempo is enough to conclude the attack. 43.Ng3 Bd3 44.Re8! Qd6
Reaching the position in today's diagram. White found a spectacular mate. 45.Qh5+!! Resigns
Success for Hague at Trundle Masters
Problem: White to play and mate in 4.
The annual George Trundle Masters tournament in Auckland in October was was won by Australian IM Gary Lane with 7/9, who then went on to win the South Island Championship in Dunedin. But the tournament was also a success for FM Ben Hague, whose second place on 6½ earned his first norm for the International Master title.
Hague was playing in the tournament under the English Chess Federation, having moved to New Zealand only two years ago. Since then he has transferred to the New Zealand Chess Federation, becoming eligible to represent his new country internationally.
Today's game is from the second round of the Trundle Masters. Hague, playing with the white pieces, puts Singaporean IM Peng Kong Chan under persistent pressure culminating in a spectacular mating attack.
1.d4 Nf6
2.Nf3 e6
3.e3 b6
4.Bd3 Bb7
5.O-O Be7
6.c4 O-O
7.Nc3 d5
8.b3 Nbd7
9.Bb2 c5
10.cxd5 exd5
11.Qe2 Ne4
The opening is the relatively quiet Yusupov-Rubinstein system. Black's last move aims to exchange a pair of knights to gain some maneouvring space, but 11... a6 establishing control over the queenside light squares has something to recommend it..
12.Rfd1 Nxc3
13.Bxc3 Bf6
14.Rac1 Rc8
15.dxc5! Bxc3
16.Rxc3 Rxc5
The hanging pawns would immediately come under attack after 16...bxc5?! 17 Qc2 g6 18 Bb5!, so Black is saddled with an isolated d-pawn.
17.Rxc5 Nxc5
18.Bb1 Qf6
19.Nd4 ---
Occupying the blockading square with the ideal piece.
19.--- g6
20.Qg4! ---
The pin on g6 renews the uncomfortable threat of Nf5.
20.--- Re8
21.h3 Kf8
To relieve the pin.
22.Qg3 Qe5
23.Qh4 Kg7
24.Nf3 Qf6
25.Qg3 Ne4
26.Qc7 Qe7?!
After some probing by White, Black starts to give ground. He should eject the queen immediately by 26... Re7! After 27 Qd8 Black can maintain the balance by 27... Nc3 28 Re1 d4! activating his bishop. Neither capture leads to advantage for White: 29 Qxd4?! Bxf3 30 Qxf6+ Kxf6 31 gxf3 Rd7! 32 Kg2 Rd2 regaining his pawn with advantage, or 29 Nxd4 Qg5! and the mate threats equalise for Black: 30 g3 (or 30 e4 Nxb1 31 Rxb1 Bxe4 32 Ne6+ fxe6 33 Qd4+ e5 34 Qxe4 Qf5 =) 30.... Rxe3!! 31 Nf5+! Qxf5! 32 Qd4+ Kg8 33 Qd8+ with a draw by perpetual check.
27.Rc1 Nc5
28.Qg3 Qf6
29.Nd4 Kf8?!
The threat of 30 Nf5+ was lessdangerous than the penetration down the c-file that follows. 29... a5 or 29...Rc8 were better.
30.b4! Ne4
31.Bxe4 dxe4
32.Rc7 Bd5
The ending after 32... Re7 33 Rxe7 Qxe7 34 Qb8+ Kg7 35 Qxa7 followed by a2-a4-a5 etc is hopeless for Black.
33.a4 Re7
34.Rc8+!? ---
While 34 Rxa7 Rxa7 35 Qb8+ Kg7 36 Qxa7 should win as in the previous note, White decides to go after the black king.
34.--- Kg7
35.Qb8 Rd7
36.Rg8+ Kh6
37.Qf8+ Kg5
38.Rh8 Qe7
Or 38...h5? 39 Qh6+ Kh4 40 Kh2! Qxf2 41 Nf5+! mating next move.
39.h4+! Kg4
40.Qh6 Qe5!
Black is putting up the strongest resistance – his queen controls all the key squares from this outpost. Here White was concerned about 41 Rxh7 Rc7 with counterthreats, so moves to cover the c-file.
41.Rc8 f6
42.Ne2 Bc4?
The fatal mistake. Black is still alive after 42...Bb7 though his position is extremely hard to play. Both sides missed that 43 f3+! followed by taking the bishop wins immediately for White, but the extra tempo is enough to conclude the attack.
43.Ng3 Bd3
44.Re8! Qd6
Reaching the position in today's diagram. White found a spectacular mate.
45.Qh5+!! Resigns
1-0
Solution: 1 Qh5+!! gxh5 2 Rg8+ Rg7 3 Rxg7 Kxh4 4 Nf5#.